Catasauqua Boys Nail Down Aa Title 68-60 Scholastic Basketball

March 10, 1985|by MIKE NOVATNACK, Sunday Call-Chronicle

All Catasauqua coach Jay Haines could say from the basketball court to the lockerroom was, "It has been a long time coming," after his Rough Riders turned back Pen Argyl 68-60 yesterday afternoon to win the District 11 Class AA championship at Martz Hall in Pottsville.

In the first game of the doubleheader the Pine Grove girls had to battle back to win its second straight District 11 Class AA girl title with a 42-39 victory over Pottsville Nativity.

To come into the Catasauqua lockerroom you would not think the Rough Riders were the district champions. To the players it was just another day's work and there was not much noise. But everybody that congratulated coach Haines would repeat just what he said, "It has been a long time coming."

It was an uphill battle for Catasauqua. The Riders came into the district playoffs with a 9-13 record and were seeded fourth. The Rough Riders opened district play with a 71-70 overtime win over Bishop Hafey. Then in the semifinals they knocked off top-seeded Palmerton 70-66.

Pen Argyl, which lost to Palmerton in the finals last year, turned back Marian Catholic 50-48 and Panther Valley 61-57 on its way to the finals.

Coach Haines said, "People look at our record which is on the losing side. But this team lost seven games during the season by one point. We started to peak at the right time - playoff time."

The first period was like a shootout. Catasauqua hit its first five shots of the game, all from the outside and Pen Argyl connected on its first four.

With 3:16 remaining in the first period Catasauqua built up a 14-10 lead but Pen Argyl came back with Pete Ruggerio and Troy Leidy scoring from the inside to tie the game at 14.

With 7:20 remaining in the first half Pen Argyl's Jim Rodney and Catasauqua's Mark Yenser put on a shooting clinic. The Rough Riders were leading at the time 18-16 when both players found the ranges.

Both players scored the next eight points for their teams and with 4:40 left in the first half Pen Argyl held a 26-22 lead. But the Rough Riders' Bruce Linton followed a missed shot and and Yenser connected on two fouls to give their team a 29-28 lead with three minutes to play in the half. By halftime Catasauqua led 33-30 with Yenser netting 11 points.

Losing coach Dwight Repsher said, "The play of Catasauqua did not surprise me. I knew they were capable of doing what they did. We had several chances in the final period and just turned the ball over. Catty just played a super game."

Pen Argyl pulled to with in one point 39-38 with 4:26 left in the third period when Rich Folk scored from inside. But Catasauqua came back with field goals from Pat Kelly and Yenser to take a 43-38 lead with 3:17 remaining. The Green Knights' Rodney got a rebound goal and the Rough Riders answered with four points of their own to take a 47-40 lead into the final period.

Catasauqua held its largest lead with 4:42 remaining in the game when Kelly hit two foul shots to give his team a 57-46 lead. But baskets by Willie Wenninger and Ruggerio cut the Riders' lead to 57-50 with more than four minutes to play.

With 1:34 left in the game Pen Argyl cut the lead to five points at 61-56 and had several opportunities to cut deeper into the lead as Catasauqua missed several front ends of one-and-ones. But the Knights turned the ball over after getting the rebound.

Catasauqua iced the game in the final 30 seconds when Kelly and Linton each made three straight free throws.

Both teams shot 62 percent from the floor. But Catasauqua was 14 of 20 from the foul line and Pen Argyl was none out of one.

The Rough Riders were led by Kelly with 23 points and Yenser with 21. Ruggerio led the Green Knightswith 20 points. Rodney added 18 and Wenninger 12.

In the first game Pine Grove fell behind 34-31 early in the fourth period then put on a fullcourt press to pull out its win.

Pine Grove took the lead on a driving lay up by Kelly Boyer with 6:23 left in the game. Nativity's Kristen Palko tied the game at 37 with 4:51 left but at that point Ann Kemmerling hit two fouls and Boyer followed with a field goal to give the Cardinals a 41-37 lead which they never gave up.